Wind storms earlier this month in banana-producing regions in Colombia are likely to affect volumes of fruit imported to the United States, but the overall effect of those storms on the market is still unclear.It was reported that about 4,500 hectares of banana plantations were destroyed in Colombia as a result of strong winds in the country's northern regions. While the storms, which started on July 9, destroyed 4,500 hectares, Colombian growers reported that the total affected area was probably closer to 16,000 hectares. While that sort of damage will likely result in less fruit available for shipment to the United States, the total effect on prices in the U.S. is still unclear.
“Bananas are one of the most stable items I can think of,” said James Massari, export director for The Produce Connection in Miami, Florida. “Bananas have been the same for a while, and they've been free of many dramatic swings.” Current prices for a box of bananas from The Produce Connection currently hover between $8 and $12 per box, depending on quality. It's yet to be seen if the damage from wind storms suffered by Colombian growers will change those prices significantly.